Tire-tightener.



PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

E. CRAIG.

TIRE TIGHTENER.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO.31, 1904.

icatented June 20, 1905.

PATENT @EETEE.

EDWARD CRAIG, OF ALBION, ILLINOIS.

TIRE-TIGHTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,584, dated June 20, 1905.

Application filed December 31,1904- Serial No. 239.210.

To (all 11/72/0777 it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD CRAIG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Albion, in the county of Edwards and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tire-Tighteners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in tire-tighteners, and more particularly to that class of tire-tighteners which are adjustably supported upon and removably secured to the spoke of the wheel, the object being to provide a simple, neat, yet strong and durable article which will efliciently perform the work intended.

A further object is to provide a tire-tightener which consists of but few parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and can be placed on the market cheaply.

Another object is the provision of a tool of this nature wherein the number of parts is greatly reduced, thereby facilitating the ease with which it can be used.

To these ends my invention consists of. a suitable block adjustably secured to the spoke of a wheel and provided with a socket-head for the reception of a-lifting-bar adapted to engage the tire, the block having a suitable lever journaled thereupon and adapted to engage the lifting-bar for raising the same.

My invention further consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, such as will be more fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my invention applied to a wagon or other wheel. Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the head and block or support. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lifting-bar, and Fig. 41 is a perspective view of the lever.

A indicates a support or block of concavoconvex form 1, adapted to lit upon the spoke of a wheel. The block is provided with a laterally-enlarged forked head 2, and beneath the head and on the support or block are located the opposing recessed ribs 3 3, adapted to receive an open link at, which rests in the recesses and embraces the shank and spoke, the free ends of the link engaging a shoe 5 of suitable conformation, whereby to adjustably secure the tightener on the spoke by clamping the parts thereto. The inner opposing faces of the forked head are provided with shoulders, forming seats 8 8, and longitudinally-extending guides 9 for the reception of the liftingbar 10, it being remembered that the forked head embraces the spoke, as well as the grooved shank, in order that the lifting-bar may be brought directly beneath the tire. A rod 11 passes across the forked head and is removably received in the aperture 12, formed in the ears 13 on the head,the rod being located sufficiently far away from the guides 9 to receive the liftingbar between them. This liftingbar 10 comprises a hollow standard receivable between the arms of the forked head, its rear hollow face disposed rearwardly, whereby to embrace the spoke, and having oppositelyprojeeting bearing-arms 16, the free ends of which are adapted to engage the felly in the usual manner, bearing-faces 17 being formed on the bearing-arms and adapted to engage the upper end of the forked head of the supporting-block to limit its inward movement with respect to the block. These faces 17 17 project laterally some distance beyond the vertical plane of the forked head for a purpose hereinafter set forth. A stop 18 is located near the lower end of and extends outward from the standard,which stop is adapted to engage the rod 11 to limit the outward movement of the lifting-bar relative to the head, the rod also serving to guide the liftingbar in its movement.

Projecting from either sideof the head 2 and beneath the faces 17 17 of the lifting-bar are the trunnions 23, adapted to enter the apertures 15 of the earns 19 of the lever 20, which lever comprises a handle 21, to which are secured the offset brackets 22, the rear ends of which partially embrace the handle and are provided at their forward ends with the cams 19. It will be seen that the brackets by reason of their ofl'sets embrace the head 2, the periphery of each cam adapted to engage the bearing-face 17 of the lifting-bar, which faces are located in proximity to the cams. A cam is used on each side of the lifting-bar to prevent the latter from binding in the head,

The operation of my device can be easily ascertained from the foregoing in connection with the drawings. The supporting-block is clamped in position with the arms of the lifting-bar in engagement with the telly, the support or block of the lifting-bar beingscated in the head, with the lever raised, so that the lifting-bar is located at its lowest point. The lever is then lowered to rotate the cams 19 on the trunnions, the peripheries of the cams engaging the bearing-faces of the lifting-bar and forcing the latter outward to tighten the tire in the usual manner. hen the lever is raised, the lifting bar telescopes by gravity into the head.

It will be observed that the tool is easily assembled and. disassembled, whereby to admit of the easy substitution of new parts for any broken or worn-out member of the combination and also to facilitate shipment or packing. ltis also evident that changes might be made in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A tire-tightencr comprising a support or bloclc adapted to be secured to a spoke, a lifting-bar having sliding connection therewith, said bar having oppositely-projecting bearing-arms adapted to engage the inner edge of the telly on opposite sides of the spoke, and provided with bearingfaces immediately beneath the folly bearing-arms, and a hand-lever pivotally connected with the support or block, this lever having cams thereon which have turning contact against the bearingfaces whereby to exert power in a direct line between the telly and the point of attachment to the spoke.

2. The combination with a supporter block adapted for attachment to a spoke. said block or support having guides and a rod extending across from one member to the other of the support and trunnions cast on the sides of the support or block, of a lifting-bar having sliding connection between the guides and rod, said bar hollowed out to embrace the spoke and provided with a stop to retain it in position against displacement, the lifting-bar provided with outwardly projecting bearingarms adapted to embrace the telly on each side of aspoke and bearing-faces immediately beneath the arms, and a hand-lever having cams which turn on the trunnions, these cams embracing the lower end of the lifting-bar and having turning contact beneath the bearing-faces of the support, whereby power is applied approximately in a direct line between the folly and the point of attachment of the support or block to the spoke.

3. The combination with a support or block, litting-bar having sliding connection therewith, both hollowed out wherebyto embrace a spoke, and means for attaching the block or standard to a spoke, of a lever lulcrumed on the block or support and having cams which engage the lifting-bar at points directly beneath the point of contact of the latter with the wheel -felly whereby to apply pressure thereto equally on each side or the spoke and in the radial line 01 the spoke.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EINVARD CRAIG. lVitnesses:

L. H. MoLAIN, NM. 0. NYE. 

